Every marketer knows that they have only a few seconds to attract a prospect’s attention – and hold it. But what can you possibly say in a few seconds that will grab their attention? What few words can you use? The task can seem overwhelming.Rather than worry about the enormity of the task ahead, use the 4 U’s to help you structure your copy in such a way that it will capture your prospect’s attention and keep them reading.Although the 4 U’s were designed to be used for headlines, you can use them anywhere in your marketing communications. So, let’s see how they can help your marketing copy.

1. Useful

Most people search the Internet for information or solutions to their problems. They want to find out things. This means your message has to be useful. Or, to be exact, useful to your target audience. Your message has to be relevant. Your reader wants to know fast that you can help solve their problem.

In order to do this, you need to know your prospect very well – his beliefs, fears, motivations, insecurities, deepest wishes, likes and dislikes. You need to create a conversation that is similar to the one going on in his head.

For instance, if you market a natural product or report for treating acne, you would mention how your prospect will gain confidence and feel attractive again without resorting to dangerous medications or topical treatments with many unwanted side effects.

If you do this, the prospect will understand that you care about his welfare and what’s important to him. He’ll know that you want him to feel good about himself and he will think of you as a credible source of information and solutions.

2. Unique

This is sometimes the most difficult of the 4 U’s to implement. To stand out from the crowd, your product or service has to be unique in some way. This is more important than ever.

If your product is genuinely unique, that’s great. But otherwise, you need to present it in a way arouses your prospect’s curiosity. If you are selling a product aimed at boosting people’s confidence, you need to state why most other programs on this topic aren’t effective because of one crucial missing piece. Your prospect is likely to have tried other products in the past and had that experience also. They’ll be eager to read on to find out what your product can do for them where other products have failed.

3. Urgent

This “U” is the most powerful attention grabber. That’s because everyone wants a fast solution to their problems. We are probably more impatient these days and feel we have less time. Your prospects want answers now. They want solutions that are easy and fast, and a guarantee that they haven’t wasted their cash or time.

You have to make the reader feel that it’s essential to read your message right now. You could, for example, say that your product is available at a discount for only two days. Or that there is a limited number and sales are on a first-come-first-served basis. You could offer a teleseminar to your subscribers on a subject you know interests them and say it’s only available at a certain time that evening. The same goes for a video presentation. Do whatever you can to make your prospects feel they will miss out if they don’t listen to, read or watch your message.

4. Ultra-Specific

The last “U” helps you to connect with your prospect in a more meaningful way. It enables you to show your reader that you are on their wavelength and understand their problem, that you know how they feel and how their problem affects them. This creates trust in your reader.

If you were promoting a weight loss product, you could tell your prospect how they can easily lose weight in a few weeks and be able to walk briskly without their knees hurting or getting out of breath. You highlight the many benefits of weight loss – health, feeling attractive and confident, living longer and so on.

Specificity is crucial because is increases the value of your copy for the reader and makes your copy more compelling to them. To be ultra-specific, you need to make sure the content of your copy matches your audience. For instance, if you market your weight loss product specifically at women over 40, you need to focus on their unique needs. And you need to continue to highlight the specific benefits they’ll receive from your product.

It’s a good idea to use as many of the 4 U’s as possible in your copy, but you certainly don’t have to use every one. Pick the ones that are most relevant and fit in with the product and the message you want to get across. Then weave them into your copy so that your reader stays interested in your words, your message and ultimately buys your product.

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